College Advice 101

 Whether you an incoming freshman or still in high school this advice is for you 

Social Advice 

• Your freshmen roommate does not need to be your best friend you may be friendly thru text before meeting but sometimes in person is completely different and that's okay. I would recommend being their best friend in the beginning its hard finding and meeting people on your own it's a lot trying to learn a new place. Start with each other, find some friends and branch off as you both figure out what you want and like. This doesn't mean you can't be best friends or that you shouldn't, just that you don't have to if it doesn't feel right.
• Regardless of your friends, remember that college is your own experience. You are allowed to do your own thing, and you SHOULD do your own thing. In the beginning, it is definitely scary to go off on your own and figure out your life by yourself. But as the days go on, it gets easier and easier.
• There’s going to be a lot of parties, a lot of hanging out, a lot of socializing time. For some people, that’s the dream. And others just have a bit of a shorter social battery. Let me be the first to tell you that if you need to sit something out, you really aren’t missing anything. After a while, every party is just a party. You aren’t missing something by not going out one night.
• College is not perfect. College isn’t going to be like it is in the movies all the time. There will be days when your life truly does feel like it is a scene from a movie. But other times, college just sucks. You don’t want to be there and you’re sick of your classes and you miss your friends from home. That is so normal. Every day, or every week, isn’t going to be perfect.

Study Tips

• Make a study schedule So many college students find themselves overwhelmed halfway through the semester because they never created a study schedule. Early in the term, sit down and block out time on your weekly calendar to study. A session might include reading assignments, reviewing concepts, or preparing for an exam — depending on the class and week. Then, do your best to stick to that schedule.
• It's easy to think memorizing the textbook counts as studying. But in college, memorization will only get you so far. When studying, prioritize comprehension. That means making sure you understand the material instead of simply reading and rereading the same pages in your textbook.
• Study breaks can actually improve the quality of your studying. So make sure to schedule breaks — and throw in a reward for productive sessions, too.

Supplies

• Tissues for some reason when you need them the most you don't have them.
• An umbrella everywhere you go even if you checked the weather beforehand, I don't know how many times I was walking in the rain rushing to my next lecture.
•  Paperclips or a stapler some professors won't let you use their stapler for your essay that they require for you to turn in stapled.
• Sticky Notes when you're in the middle of a lecture it's easier to write down on sticky note and stick to your computer or iPad rather than get out your planner about something important.